Leaks and Speculation

No.

That complete lockdown helps me keep my wallet in total lockdown a little while longer. 

 

Art

I guess I don't miss it? Hadn't even thought about it until I read this post. I also have to go with Chugman, I need to get my wallet on lockdown and keep it there at least until after Christmas, longer if possible.

Somehow is doesn't seem to matter much any more as a lot

of things in the catalog never get made. Used to be if it was

in the catalog you could get it. Not any more.

Then if they do make it, it might be 6 to 8 months down the road.

 

Fall Christmas catalogs were great, you knew if you were good it

might be under the tree on the 25th....

Not in the least. When items finally make it thru the pipeline to dealers is when I take notice and care, and not until then.

No, I like the countdown clock. I can wait.

A little off the wall food for thought. How many people would be happy to see Lionel or MTH actually manufacture and release at least four items that they've canceled in the past ten years?

 "Pappy"

Leaks are pretty much meaningless nowadays.  If it takes 12-18-24 months or longer for the product to show up, getting a sneaky peaky a couple of days/weeks isn't going to make things arrive any earlier.

 

There will be enough slobbering, elation, criticism and/or second-guessing when the catalogs are released.

 

Rusty

I remember when one could "hunt" on the MTH website and find the new items a day or two just before York and  before the catalog was released online. Now that was a lot of fun!

News moves much differently now.  Used to be that the catalog would be released and you would have to wait for it to make it to dealers or arrive in the mail.  Now catalogs appear online and MTH was posting photos of production samples of the CSX NW2 on Facebook this weekend.

I don't really miss them much 

So true! No big deal to learn what's offered when it takes 2 years to receive.

I sort of wish they would go back to the postwar days and release ONE consumer catalog in the early autumn and have nearly everything made and in stores by Thanksgiving. This makes for a lot easier purchase planning and it sure worked when I was growing up in the 1950s!

Now that I have the money to buy stuff, I don't want anything...ay least, train-wise.

to busy to worry about that. 

No.

.....

Dennis

From what I've come to expect from catalogs, rumours, etc. All are useless to rely on, or expect. Filled with premonitions, expectations, and possibilities. Some which may be built, delivered at some time in the near future, maybe when I'm long gone from this time and place. What I find and hard to believe that down payments will be taken with an anticipated delivery date and time period that is pushed back over and over. Sorry, but the catalogs for the "O" scaler is to me useless. I buy what's here and available today only.

I remember once, and only once putting a down payment for an item with an expected delivery date 6 months later, well 2 years later still not delivered. My down payment hasn't received any interest during the wait for me. Cancelled finally. If item ever comes out, I'm sure I can purchase it on secondary market at a lower price.

As when I was a child, I look at catalogs as "Dream Books".

I agree this would be great, but I don't see it happening. When you were growing up in the 1950s the trains were made locally (at least within the US) not in China.  That was a time of in-house production and part-time dealers like hardware stores. Lionel's factories were in New Jersey. It didn't take long to move the finished product to the stores.  Today you need shipping containers, space on a ship, travel time to the destination and then unloading and shipment to the final destination.  It's not as easy as it was in the 1950s.

 

Having everything in the stores before the catalog is issued would require upfront capital for design, manufacturing and inventory --which would be expensive. Given today's market I can't see that happening.

I'd be happy with either one of those, having both would be extremely good!

No, not really.  I can wait.  After all, after the catalog is out, it seems you wait more, and its worse because you know what you are waiting for, as shipping schedules slip, etc., etc., etc.